Avoid deploying Indian sailors on vessels moving via Strait of Hormuz: DGMA to shipping companies

📌 Summary:

• The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has directed ship owners, ship managers and recruitment/placement service companies to avoid deploying Indian sailors on vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders, amid the West Asia crisis
• Masters of vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and adjoining waters must maintain a heightened level of security vigilance
• They are directed to monitor navigational warnings and security advisories from competent authorities and implement all applicable ship-security measures under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code
• Strategic significance: the Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most critical oil chokepoint; instability there threatens Indian energy imports and the safety of the large Indian seafarer workforce

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 IR / GS3 Security & Economy — West Asia geopolitics, energy security, safety of Indian diaspora/seafarers, maritime chokepoints.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman/Arabian Sea; ~one-fifth of global oil passes through it
• The ISPS Code is an International Maritime Organization (IMO) framework for ship and port security
• DGMA regulates Indian maritime administration and seafarer deployment

🔑 Key Term: Chokepoint — a narrow, strategically vital maritime passage (e.g., Strait of Hormuz) whose disruption can severely affect global trade and energy flows.